Or so it's called. The beefcake working in San Diego’s professional kitchens did not qualify. They weren't even considered.

I’m guessing that’s because Eater doesn’t cover San Diego, or that they’ve got a hipster’s map of America, which only includes New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, less hipstery Miami and hipster mustache central, my old college town, Austin. Only the sexy chef denizens of those towns qualified for the contest.

Which is a shame. Because check out some of our talent.

A chef with unbelievable technique, Jason Knibb from Nine-Ten.— John Gastaldo